No NFL Network

As pro football kicks off tonight, Bright House, league still can't make deal on channel

September 10, 2009|By Etan Horowitz, Sentinel Staff Writer

Question: The NFL season starts tonight, so why doesn't Bright House Networks carry the NFL Network?

Answer: Despite years of negotiations, the NFL and Bright House have not been able to reach a deal to offer the station to Bright House's more than 900,000 Central Florida cable customers.

Q: Why can't they agree?

A: Like most negotiations between networks and cable operators, this one centers on how much Bright House would have to pay the NFL Network to carry it as well as where the channel would be placed in Bright House's channel lineup. Sports programming is typically the most expensive for a cable network to carry.

"We certainly like the product and we like the NFL, but we also have to be conscious of the expense and the impact it would have upon our customers," said Bright House spokeswoman Sara Brady. "We just think it's an excessive amount of money to pay for eight out-of-market games."

Brady also said that if Bright House were to carry the NFL Network, the company thinks it belongs in a sports tier, which costs extra.

The NFL Network released the following statement: "We are extremely disappointed that Bright House is unwilling to reach an agreement to carry the NFL Network on terms that are fair and reasonable and consistent with other distributors. We don't expect to reach a deal with them any time soon or prior to the start of the NFL Network's regular season games. . . . We are surprised that they continue to reject our offers and deny the fans the only network dedicated entirely to football."

Q: What games will the NFL Network show?

A: The NFL Network will broadcast eight regular-season games, starting Thursday, Nov. 12, with the Chicago Bears vs. the San Francisco 49ers. In Week 11, NFL Network will air the Miami Dolphins vs. Carolina Panthers game, and in Week 15 it will air the Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts matchup.

Q: What has happened with other cable providers?

A: In May, the NFL Network and Comcast, the nation's largest cable provider, reached an agreement to show the NFL Network to Comcast's digital basic cable subscribers. Previously, the channel had only been available to Comcast customers who paid extra for a digital sports tier.

On Sunday, the NFL Network will launch "NFL RedZone," a channel that switches between regular-season games on Sunday afternoons when a team goes inside the 20-yard-line. The channel is available on Comcast, DISH Network and Verizon FiOS.

Besides Bright House, the NFL Network is still negotiating with other cable providers including Time Warner Cable, Cablevision and Charter Communications. Time Warner is negotiating on behalf of Bright House, Brady said. An NFL Network spokesman said the channel is available in nearly 50 million homes.

Q: What options do I have for watching the NFL Network?

A: In Central Florida, the NFL Network is available on satellite providers DISH Network and DirecTV as well to customers of Comcast and AT&T U-verse. To see if U-verse is available where you live, visit uverse.att.com or call 1-800-ATT-2020. DirecTV also offers the NFL Sunday Ticket, which broadcasts every game every Sunday and has its own "RedZone Channel," which jumps between games when a team is about to score.

The NFL Network can also be seen on some Sprint mobile phones. And you can always visit a sports bar.